What’s New This Week?

Google+ Begins Offering Badges for Google+ Pages: “The Google+ badge helps you grow your audience on Google+ and show more recommendations in Google search by letting people add you to their circles and +1 your page, all without leaving your site.” At the moment, Google is only offering these badges through the Google+ platform preview group which is easy to join. NOTE: Badges are only shows to others who are registered for the preview group.

Google+ badges "make it easy for your audience to subscribe to your posts and endorse and share your site."

LinkedIn Brings Analytics To Groups: You can now check out a variety of statistics on all LinkedIn Groups: demographics, growth, activity. The news Group Statistics dashboard is on the right of all Group profiles. Use these stats to identify the best groups for you.

Check out the demographics for our private LinkedIn group for participants of the upcoming Small Business Success Summit.

LinkedIn Updates Events Feature: LinkedIn Events now makes it easier to find the right events to attend and gives you an “easy way to find and connect with the right folks attending those events.”

LinkedIn Events includes a feature called “Attendees you may want to meet.”

It’s quick and easy to install apps and add them as streams to your dash.

Buffer Adds Facebook Integration: Buffer has upgraded its easy-to-use dashboard. “You can now post the same update to both Facebook and Twitter, or have them posted to either network only.”

Now Buffer users can schedule updates on both Facebook and Twitter. Google+ and LinkedIn are coming soon.

Groupon Introduces Deal Types and Places: When you log on to Groupon.com, you now have a Personalization Bar to define your favorite Deal Types and Deal Places. This makes it easy to find the deals you want.

Cindy King is the director of editorial for Social Media Examiner. She spent 25 years abroad in international business development and then built her own international business using social business networking.